Opening of the Bright Smile Battery.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2043, 22 July 1875, Page 2

Opening of the Bright Smile Battery.

The new battery belonging to this com- | pany, situate in Mackay street, Grahamstown, abutting on the Karaka Creek, was formally opened on Thursday, 22nd July, at noon, in. the presence of a .large number of spectators,;including a great .'number of ladies. Space will not allow us to give the,names of those present, but it may suffice to say that the engineroom was so crowded by the fair sex that it may reasonably be doubted whether any other battery on the Thames has ever yet had so many " Queen's of Beauty" present to crowd their "Bright Smiles" on every square inch of its apparatus. The proceedings were commenced by His Worship the Mayor, who in the course of his remarks characterised the opening of the Bright Smile Battery as the most important event which had occurred at the Thames. He sincerely trusted and hoped that it would be but the beginning of a career of success to its proprietors and confer great benefits on tbe Thamc3 community in general. Mrs Kennan then named the battery breaking the customary bottle of wine in honour of the occasion, and then the huge machinery in the engine-room was set in motion,, it worked smoothly and evenly and was much applauded by the numbers .assembled, not only in the engine-room, but bjr these in and around the building, and some even on the roof itself, in all the number could not have been short of a thousand. Mr W. Eowe ■ then addressed a few appropriate remarks "with reference to the new battery, and especially eulogised it, in thatitj was the result of localindustry, local talent, and local enterprise. He trusted that the battery would be all that. the proprietors desired, and a credit to all i who had a share in it. He_ further said the old Anglo-Saxon, persevering and resolute nature was shown to be inherent in the denizens of the Thames, which nature they had manifested in erecting a battery, that had not its superior in the Southern Hemisphere. He concluded by proposing the health of Mr Kennan, and hoped that the battery would be more successful than ever was the Caledonian or any other battery which he, though an older man than the proprietors of the Bright Smile, had ever seen or heard of. Three hearty cheers were then given for Mr Kennan on the understanding that the toast proposed by Mr Eowe would be drunk at a subsequent period of the proceedings. Mr Kennan returned thanks and said that he was much pleased and gratified by the number of friends whom he saw there assembled to do honor to the occasion. That he trusted that the engine would do its work manfully, and never require to be lulled to sleep by the undoubted power which the ladies possessed. Captain Richards said he had been asked to propose the health of the engineer, Mr G. Hilton, and the contractor Mr John Somerville, and yielded his word of praise as a mine manager of many j'ear3 experience as to the admirable man ncr in which the work had been performed and the contract carried out. Mr Hilton and Mr John tomerville briefly responded, and then Captain Goldsmith, who was greeted with as much applause as if the audience guessed already the purport of his speech, proceeded to give the toast of the "Ladies." He said that he had never yet seen an assemblage so decorated"as was.the engine room in which he stood by the ladies who were present, ho was quite sure that the enterprise undertaken by the proprietors would be a success it deserved tobe, for all the ladies joined heartily in wishing success, and where the good wishes of the ladies tended, success was sure to follow. Three hearty cheers having been given for the ladies. Mr Whitford was loudly called on to return thanks on their behalf, there being no lady present (notwithstanding these days of " Woman's "Eights") prepared to take the pleasant duty on herself, Mr Whitford, however, proved a fitting champion, and, having expressed the astonishment he felt in being called upon to return thanks, and the delight which gained possession of him when those feelings of had subsideed, and yet how unworthy he felt of the honor conferred upon him, added that there was ' nothing ho loved so well a* to be placed in a position where he could assist the ladies, and tendered, in their name, '< his thanks to the gentlemen amidst great cheering. The toasts which had been proposed were then drank, -and the hospitality of Mr Kennan partaken of, after which first the stampers were set going, and then the berdans, until the whole machinery of the battery was in motion at the same time. Mr W. Eowe then "stated that Captain Eichards had omitted one thing in his speech, and that was to propose the health of Mr W. Judd and the Messrs Price in connection with the successful opening of the Bright-Smile battery, but that he was empowered to do so ,now. The names of the gentleman were then received with acclamation. THE BATTEEY. Mr Hilton, the company's engineer, in charge. Everything connected with the entire plant being in working order, and went off in the most satisfactory manner, eliciting the admiration and calling forth the out-spoken commendation of all present, as well as the expressed hope that this large undertaking will speedily place the Bright smile in the list of dividend paying companies. In reference to the mine from whence the mill is to be supplied, no more need bo said at present, than that there are thousands of tons of payable stone ready' for breaking up, to supply its requirements for th.c next 12 months, without any further dead work being undertaken. To have a just appreciation of the

present undertaking, its principal features may be briefly recounted, avoiding technicalities. In October last the directors decided upon the step, and intrusted Mr G. P. Hilton to prepare plans, drawings, and specifications for a 40 stamper battery with all the latest known improvements. Considerable difficulty was experienced in securing a firm foundation; the surface was removed, and thick planting, overlaid with concrete, filled in to receive |he bed logs and sleepers of the battery as well as for laying the foundations for engine and boilers/ The housing, 90 feet by 100, with ornamented front to Macky street elevation 26 feet, the other portion weather-boarded, fitted with side and roof-lights. The ropf is in one main and five gable-ended divisions, supported from the interior by substantial kauri pillars. The battery proper, engine house, and boiler house, are partitioned off, but by a judicious arrangement of glass the whole of the interior is under view of the person in charge. The crushing force consists of 40 stampers each weighing 870 lbs, five in a box ; every ten head can be thrown out of gear without stopping the engine, the whole being by cogwheel and pinion from counter-shaft, 6 inches and 5 inches in diameter, resting upon large cast iron brackets bolted upon the columns, giving 'the utmost stability to the structure ; and fitted with plummer boxes, capable of adjustment either laterally or vertically, while underneath the shoulder of the bracket the water pipe for the boxes is secured, and out of the way. At either end of the countershaft are large single pulleys to carry belts connecting the berdans, the whole of the pulleys are ao arranged that in the event of the engine making a wrong evolution they are thrown instantly out of gear. On a level with the stamper hoppers the floor for receiving quartz is laid, and in order to provide for the great weight of stone, as well as the continued thud of the iron-heeled crusher, 2 immense logs 15 tons .each have been placed under the boxes, supplemented by heavy tressed timbers, keyed and wedged, so that ■ at any . time they may be examined and. adjusted. Each box is provided with two grating discharges, to which are appended two upper tables with two common and one parabolic ripple, as well as 19 feet blanket streaks, with drop and fluming to carry off the surplus water clear of the building. The number of berdans are 12, 4 feet diameter, supplied with drags 400 lbs each, and worked by belts from counter shafts by means of ' bevelled cogs and pinions, to which are 1 attached clutch gearing, enabling one or more to be thrown out of gear ; the whole are set up in a massive frame, with passage * at both ends and in the middle, and are fed from elevated botes separately; contiguous to the berdans are tables and: other conveniences essential to the manipulation of amalgam; the floor of this portion being of fine concrete. Access to the engine house is gained by a short stair. The engine, made by Kay, of Kirkaldy, * Scotiand, buf purchased for I the Company in Melbourne, is nominally. | 30 horse-power, and designed for high ■ pressure, but has been adapted to work , at low pressure, a large condenser having i been added, which gives a greatly in- ! creased power on a smaller amount pf ! fuel, it is of the beam type, length of i stroke of piston four feet, diameter of I fly-wheel 18 feet, spur-wheel 5 feet 11 inches, and pinion 3 feet 6 inches, with pump, eccentrifts, &c/, the large heavy beam resting upon plummer boxes supported by six fluted iron" columns, with sole plate firmly bolted into foundation set up on masonry, the stone for which was obtained by the Company opening a quarry in the Karaka creek. In the boiler house are erected two boilers, Lancashire class, 30 feet long, 6 feet 6 inches diameter, with double flues for firing ' 2 feet 5 inches each, are made of the best |ths iron, with % inch ends, and supplied with the celerated Lowj moor plates over the furnace ; surmounted j with Somes, and supplied with every apj pliance for the safety and convenience of I workmen. Inside the boiler-house room is afforded for three days' coal. The | boilers are also strengthened with angle pieces inside, and firmly cramped together 1 and cased in brickwork. On the top of the boilers, at the extreme end, are.built two retort furnaces, communicating with the large smoke stack outside; this is 13 feet square at the base, with taper and arched sides for 12 feet, from which springs the panel-shaped column, rising ,to a height of 90 feet, finishing in six feet width, and ornamented 1 with 12 semi circular arches, projecting corbels &c, giving an elegant appearance Ito the construction. An iron ladder has , been built in for the entire length. The I water supply has been well attended to; the boilers are fed by water from the town supply, with large provision for the collection of water. Tho water from the: mine is utilized by conveying it in fluming under the tramway (600 feet long) to the mill where it is received in tanks. Water from the Karaka Creek is also brought into settling tanks and thence pumped up into a receiver, as also the overflow, from condenser is available, and by a judicious arrangement of tanks, valves and pipes, the different waters may be used seperately or conjointly as occasion requires. The arrangement for lighting the battery by night is good, large reflecting gasoliers and jointed stand pipes being placed in such position as to throw a.flood of light on all parts of the building, while ooveablc indiarubber tubes with brass nozzles and stand are provided for the purpose of peering into stamper boxes, &c,, avoiding the use of candles entirely. Every department appears to have been faithfully carried out by the several contractors. The housing was completed by Mr Colebrsok; ' the foundations and berdan framing, by Mr Mace ; the interior fitting of battery and engine-house, and erecting the same, by Mr J. Somerville; the stamper battery complete and' the condenser by .Mr Judd; .the. berdans by Price Brothers; and- boiler fittings by Mr Seager; the entire brickwork was entrusted to Mr Ginn, and the machinery to Mr. Simpson, while the- fcas fittings, water contrivances;.and a host of small accessories, were supplied by Mr McCaul, and the finishing stroke of painting, &c, reserved for Mr Fricker. These are all Thames 'people* and testify to the ability of all concerned. The only manufactured article imported being the engine, thus proving the resources of the district. The whole of tho work has been performed by plans of the Company's engineer, Mr G. P. Hilton, under whose personal supervision the entire structure has been erected, and brought to a successful- issue, adding to the general Welfare of the district, as well as lustre to tho energy and enterprise of the proprietors.